Toy figures which participate in fighting or combat type activities are well known in the art. In response to the continuing popularity of such action toy figures, practitioners in the art have endeavored to provide a virtually endless variety of toy figures which provide a fighting or combat or battle type action. Accordingly, toy figures have been provided which shoot weapons, launch projectiles, swing swords, operate various claws and similar implements, activate pincers, provide a punching action and provide a kicking action. Unfortunately, the mechanisms used in providing fighting action toy figures is often unduly complex which in turn leads to a prohibitive cost and or reduction in reliability of the toy figure. Reliability in particular is critical with child users due to the tendency for children to be unduly rough with toys that have movement mechanisms. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,003,158 issued to Wolf et al. sets forth a FIGHTING DOLL having a lower torso and a upper torso pivotally coupled and a pair of arms rotatably mounted on the upper torso. Actuating means within the doll cause the upper torso to pivot relative to the lower torso and simultaneously swings one arm upward and the other downward in a fighting motion.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,623,318 issued to Tsiknopoulos et al set forth a FIGURE WITH ROTATABLE TORSO AND VERTICALLY SWINGING ARMS having a upper torso supporting a pair of arms and a lower torso supported by a pair of legs. Pivotal movement of the upper torso with respect to the lower torso causes the arms to swing in response to centrifugal force.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,161,082 issued to Alexander sets forth a FIGURE TOY LIMB HAVING TWIRLING HAND UNIT in which a hollow arm portion support a elongated shaft extending approximately through the forearm portion of the arm. One end of the shaft supports a hand while the remaining end near the elbow supports a thumb wheel. Both the hand and the thumb wheel are secured to the shaft such that rotation of the thumb wheel also rotates the hand.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,900 issued to Hart set forth a QUICK DRAW MECHANISM FOR FIGURE TOY in which at least one arm is moveable between a hands-at-the side position and a forwardly extending position characteristic of a cowboy style pistol draw. Spring loaded means within the torso responds to a trigger to rapidly pivot the arm forwardly carrying a simulated pistol into the filing pistol.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,727,982 issued to Hurt set forth a ACTION FIGURE WITH ROTATING ARM MECHANISM operative to rotate an arm or other appendage relative to its torso. The arm is activated by pivoting one leg toward the other against the bias of a spring to pivot an internal level which imparts liner movement in a follower. The follower includes the cam for engaging helical ribs on an arm shaft to convert liner motion to rotary motion of the arm.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,723,932 issued to Kelley et al. sets forth a TOY DOLL HAVING ARTICULATED ARMS AND A TILTABLE UPPER TORSO in which a doll torso is pivotally secured to a leg support unit at the waist in a manner facilitating side-to-side pivotal motion. A mechanism within the doll converts the side-to-side motion of the upper torso into arm motion.
Additional examples of articulated toy figures are found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,545,775 issued to Kim which sets forth a DANCING HULA DOLL and U.S. Pat. No. 4,801,285 issued to yeu which set forth a FIGURE TOY HAVING A THREE-POSITION SWITCH AND TWO MODES OF OPERATION and U.S. Pat. No. 4,135,327 issued to Sapkus et al. sets forth a DOLL CONSTRUCTION WITH PIVOTABLE TOY MEMBERS as well as U.S. Pat. No. 4,802,878 issued to Terzian et al. which sets forth a DOLL WITH ROTATING AND BENDABLE ARMS.
While the foregoing prior art devices have improved the art and in some instances enjoyed commercial success there remains nonetheless a continuing need in the art for evermore improved amusing, entertaining and cost effective toy figures which provide a fighting or battle type action.